VHFcontesting
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [VHFcontesting] [222Activity] [NEWSVHF] 222 MHz Activity night. The

To: David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>, Terry Price <terry@directivesystems.com>, rgolley@comcast.net
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] [222Activity] [NEWSVHF] 222 MHz Activity night. The FIRST ONE FOR 2021!
From: rgolley <rgolley@comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2021 20:44:01 -0400
List-post: <mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
DaveDont know if you're aware but the Packrats conduct nets on Monday nights on 
the bottom four bands with the six meter net beginning at 7:30  50.150 USB  
N3RG net control 8:00  144.150 USB K3GNC  net control8:30  222.125   USB KB1JEY 
net control9:00. 432.110. USB. WB2RVX  net controlStations up and down the east 
coast check in on a regular basis and all are welcome.73 deN3RG RayFM29KI  Sent 
on my Boost Mobile Phone.
-------- Original message --------From: David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net> Date: 
4/18/21  6:40 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: Terry Price <terry@directivesystems.com> Cc: 
David Mackey <k1ka@comcast.net>, ww1z_1@juno.com, newsvhf@mailman.qth.net, 
vhfcontesting@contesting.com, 222Activity@groups.io Subject: Re: 
[VHFcontesting] [222Activity] [NEWSVHF] 222 MHz Activity night.
  The FIRST ONE FOR 2021! Well we can run a sked and see what happens. We can 
set it up on ON4KST.  Thanks for the schedule shuffling!!I was having problems 
with my  transverter going into transmit all by itself.  At first I thought it 
was crud shorting something out around the keying jack. I had itfail a second 
time, so back i went to the shop and this time found that the RCA phono jack 
was intermittently shorting. I found a small ding on the metal body that was 
the culprit. It was almost invisible. I fixed it and hope it works. I never saw 
a phono plug fail!DaveOn 4/18/2021 4:38 PM, Terry Price wrote:> Hi all,>> I've 
re-arranged my schedule to open Tuesday evening to get on from > FM09te. 4x 
FO12's, 1kw. I'll be testing my new 432 array also, 4x > FO25's and a kw.>> 
Terry Price - W8ZN> Directive Systems and Engineering> 703-754-3876>>> On Sat, 
Apr 17, 2021 at 5:22 PM David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net > 
<mailto:k1whs@metrocast.net>> wrote:>>     Well, I figure we have to start 
somewhere! I used to love those>     activity>     nights. There was a small 
local group in MA back in the 70's>     including>     W1XP and a few others. 
We all got on and had fun. I think using>     HB9Q or>     ON4KST to arrange 
long haul skeds is a great use for that. In the>     past>     some DXers had 
nightly skeds on 144 and other bands. I remember>     K2IEJ on>     Long Island 
running with W8KAY in Ohio every night. That is when I>     realized that Long 
Island was a hot DX location on VHF. Between the>     water and flat land for 
miles, it really worked!  I lived in CT and>     could barely detect W8KAY 
usually.  There were other skeds with>     W8PT in>     Michigan etc. That was 
an awful long time ago, but those guys were>     trying the same 
thing...forcing long haul activity!>>     I hope we can start something. As the 
wx warms, I am not here, but>     at my>     camp in semi-northern NH.  I'll 
try to make some Tuesdays then too.>>     Dave K1WHS>>     On 4/17/2021 4:34 
PM, David Mackey wrote:>     > Fantastic Dave. That’s what we need, a big 
station to take the>     lead to reestablish activity nights. Tuedays on 222 is 
a good>     place to begin. Wish I had 222 gear. The usage of the ON4KST site>  
   should help with coordinating laser sharp antenna patterns and>     maybe 
pull a few more on the air.>     >>     > I’ll at least be watching the chat 
page.>     >>     > 73 Dave K1KA>     >>     > David Mackey>     > 
K1KA@comcast.net <mailto:K1KA@comcast.net>>     >>     >> On Apr 17, 2021, at 
15:36, David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>     <mailto:k1whs@metrocast.net>> 
wrote:>     >>>     >> OK>     >>>     >> This coming Tuesday 20April, will be 
222 MHz Activity night for>     Dave K1WHS.  I am located in FN43mj (mumbo 
Jumbo)  I will be on>     222 starting about 7:30 PM looking for contacts.  I 
will also>     monitor ON4KST Chat. Now that I have two decent laptops that I 
can>     drag up to the shack, I can keep one of them on the chat page(s).>     
My cell phone for the hill QTH is 207 608 5317.>     >>>     >> Rig is 1500 
watts RF out with 4 X 22 Element long yagis at 100>     ft,  8 X 5 Element LVA 
fixed SW towards New York City,  and 2 X 8>     Element yagis rotatable to the 
north and NE.>     >>>     >> This is the evening before the 432 Sprint, so you 
can test out>     432 and then come on down to 222.100 and look for QSOs.  I am 
545>     miles from K8ZR in Ohio, and figure that we might have a possible>     
path if we are both lined up. KO4YC is in the 550 mile range as>     well, and 
that would be a fantastic shot as well.  We have all>     night! All the bars 
are closed, so you have no excuse but to get>     on 222 MHz on Tuesday! Who 
knows? You may make a contact. Just>     because you are too far away from me 
does not mean all is lost.>     All are invited to make Tuesday the 222 Night 
nationwide.>     >>>     >> I will have my receiver overload problem repaired 
by then. I>     will start off near 222.100 and call CQ. I hope to work a few>  
   stations. I plan to be there until at least 10:30 PM.  In UTC>     time, 
that is April 20 at 23:30 up to April 21 at 02:30 UT.>     >>>     >> I hope to 
hear you on 222!  Spread the word!>     >>>     >> Dave K1WHS>     >>>     >>> 
On 4/16/2021 5:09 PM, ww1z_1@juno.com <mailto:ww1z_1@juno.com>>     wrote:>     
>>> The old NEVHFA used to promote activity nights. I do not>     remember if 
the>     >>> concept originated there or some where else. First thing it>     
takes is>     >>> stations actually on the air calling CQ. The club reflector>  
   can be a big>     >>> help. Maybe on Sunday you announce you are going to be 
on for>     the 222 MHZ>     >>> activity night. With time and frequency giving 
people a heads>     up and on>     >>> Tuesday afternoon or early evening 
announce it again.  Maybe>     if a few>     >>> decent stations could be on 
regularly and announcing it. This>     could>     >>> encourage others into 
developing the habit of getting on. But>     it will not>     >>> be easy.>     
>>>>     >>> John WW1Z>     >>>>     >>> On Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:28:56 -0400 
Dave Olean>     <k1whs@metrocast.net <mailto:k1whs@metrocast.net>>>     >>> 
writes:>     >>>> Hi Dave>     >>>>>     >>>> Activity nights would be a great 
thing to do.  No reason why>     >>>> Tuesday>     >>>> night can't be a 222 
MHz time.  Along those lines, I am trying to>     >>>> get a>     >>>> battery 
operated 222 station running at a few hundred watts.  I>     >>>> need>     
>>>> some new lithium batteries to do it, and they are very>     expensive for> 
    >>>> a>     >>>> few hundred AH of power.  I am working on some solid 
state>     amps for>     >>>>>     >>>> 400-500 watts.>     >>>>>     >>>> I 
tried to get some small contests started with rover-centric>     rules>     
>>>> to>     >>>> build activity. It requires local clubs to assume>     
responsibility for>     >>>>>     >>>> administration.  It takes some work! The 
idea died, but I think>     >>>> small>     >>>> activity events would help 
immensely. You need a reason to get on>     >>>> the air.>     >>>>>     >>>> 
It is snowing today. A few inches on the ground already. No>     antenna>     
>>>> work>     >>>> today.>     >>>>>     >>>> Dave K1WHS>     >>>>>     >>>> 
On 4/16/2021 11:26 AM, David Mackey wrote:>     >>>>> I agree. The further 
north you go the further south you wish you>     >>>> were. We used to have 
activity nights back in the 70s and 80s.>     >>>> Monday was 2m, Tuesday 222 
(220 in those days), 432 on Wednesday,>     >>>> etc. There was an ARRL ad hoc 
VHF committee in the late 70s>     with the>     >>>> goals of addressing 
contest activity problems, grids vs.>     Sections,>     >>>> those new rovers, 
and other issues. It eventually did away with>     >>>> sections as multipliers 
and went to grids, and sanctioned>     rovers. I>     >>>> suggested the idea 
of a Sprint contest to introduce this new grid>     >>>> multiplier system. It 
was based, at the time, popular HF Sprints,>     >>>> and that they should 
follow the format of the existing activity>     >>>> nights. The VHF/UHF 
Sprints are still here but the activity>     nights>     >>>> faded.>     >>>>> 
Why can�t we bring them back? The Packrats have multiple nets on>     >>>> 
Mondays, and NEWS has a Thursday 2M net, which is great, but>     if you>     
>>>> are out of range, you might as well watch TV. If activity nights>     >>>> 
were restarted, it could hopefully bring in stations on the>     >>>> �fringes� 
of normal range from he more active areas. Another>     >>>> issue these days 
is everyone has bigger more directional>     antennas. A>     >>>> methodical 
way of pointing in less popular directions would also>     >>>> help. The Clubs 
would have to get behind it.>     >>>>> Ideas?>     >>>>>>     >>>>> 73 Dave 
K1KA>     >>>>>>     >>>>> David Mackey>     >>>>> K1KA@comcast.net 
<mailto:K1KA@comcast.net>>     >>>>>>     >>>>>> On Apr 16, 2021, at 10:27, 
David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>     <mailto:k1whs@metrocast.net>>>     >>>> 
wrote:>     >>>>>> ?I had a blast playing in the 222 Sprint. The 222 setup was> 
    >>>> almost back to normal at about 75%. I had a flakey rotor>     readout 
and>     >>>> excessive noise due to front end overload from a CH11 station>    
 that>     >>>> is 18 miles away and running 316 KW EIRP. I can see the lights 
on>     >>>> their tower. Both problems are easily fixed. I just need the>     
time.>     >>>> (Fly fishing season is just starting!)>     >>>>>> So I got to 
thinking at how bad off we hams are in the northern>     >>>> part of New 
England. A lack of 222activity in a region begets>     less>     >>>> activity 
there, as  the few hearty souls who try it, lose>     interest>     >>>> after 
awhile due to lack of success.  There is no activity to my>     >>>> northeast 
other than Bill, K1DY and N1BUG. In the summer >     KV1J gets>     >>>> on, 
which is great. All of eastern Canada is empty. There are so>     >>>> many 
empty grids there that are   easy to work if only>     someone was>     >>>> 
there. All of the bands above 144 MHz get worse as you go higher.>     >>>>>> 
So how bad is it? I looked at the grid map and checked my>     spot in>     
>>>> the middle of FN43 with my old QTH near K1TEO in CT, and then>     with>   
  >>>> someone in the middle of FN20.  How many more grids are>     available 
at>     >>>> each location that are not reachable from up north in New>     
England?>     >>>> I went  out 500 miles, which is a good distance for a 
serious>     >>>> station on 222.>     >>>>>> Additional grids available from 
FN31:>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>> EN80    EM99    FM06    FM16>     >>>>>> EN81    
EM98    FM07    FM25>     >>>>>> EN82    EM97    FM14    FM26>     >>>>>> EN83  
  EN90    FM15     EM96>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>> Additional grids 
available from FN20:>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>> EN70    EN82    EM87    EM98    
FM06   FM25>     >>>>>> EN71    EN83    EM86    EM99    FM07   FM26>     >>>>>> 
EN72    EN90    EM95    FM03    FM14>     >>>>>> EN80    EM89    EM96    FM04   
 FM15>     >>>>>> EN81    EM88    EM97    FM05    FM16>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>> 
I realize that there is an activity problem all over, and>     many of>     
>>>> these additional grids have no 222 MHz activity, but many of them>     
>>>> have some activity even if it is sporadic. I also ignored the>     grids>  
   >>>> in Ontario and Quebec Canada, as there are many up there that are>     
>>>> empty as well.  I would be curious to hear about which of these>     >>>> 
grids have activity on the higher bands. What grids are typically>     >>>> 
workable?>     >>>>>> 73>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>> Dave K1WHS>     >>>>>>>     
>>>>>>>     >>>>>> 
______________________________________________________________>     >>>>>> 
NEWSVHF mailing list>     >>>>>> Home: 
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>     
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>>     >>>>>> Help: 
http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>     <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>>     
>>>>>> Post: mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>     
<mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>>     >>>>>>>     >>>>>> This list hosted by: 
http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>>     >>>>>> Please help support this 
email list:>     >>>> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
<http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>>     >>>> 
______________________________________________________________>     >>>> 
NEWSVHF mailing list>     >>>> Home: 
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>     
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>>     >>>> Help: 
http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>     <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>>     
>>>> Post: mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>     
<mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>>     >>>>>     >>>> This list hosted by: 
http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>>     >>>> Please help support this 
email list:>     http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
<http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>>     >>> 
____________________________________________________________>     >>> Choose to 
be safer online.>     >>> Opt-in to Cyber Safety with NortonLifeLock.>     >>> 
Plans starting as low as $6.95 per month.*>     >>>>     
https://store.netzero.net/account/showService.do?serviceId=nz-nLifeLock&utm_source=mktg&utm_medium=taglines&utm_campaign=nzlifelk_launch&utm_content=tag995&promoCode=A23457>
     
<https://store.netzero.net/account/showService.do?serviceId=nz-nLifeLock&utm_source=mktg&utm_medium=taglines&utm_campaign=nzlifelk_launch&utm_content=tag995&promoCode=A23457>>
     >>>>     >>> 
______________________________________________________________>     >>> NEWSVHF 
mailing list>     >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>    
 <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>>     >>> Help: 
http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>     <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>>     
>>> Post: mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>     <mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>> 
    >>>>     >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>>  
   >>> Please help support this email list:>     http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
<http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>>     >> 
______________________________________________________________>     >> NEWSVHF 
mailing list>     >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>     
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf>>     >> Help: 
http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>     <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>>     
>> Post: mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>     <mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net>>  
   >>>     >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>>     
>> Please help support this email list:>     http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
<http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>>>>     -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=->     Groups.io 
Links: You receive all messages sent to this group.>     View/Reply Online 
(#260):>     https://groups.io/g/222Activity/message/260>     
<https://groups.io/g/222Activity/message/260>>     Mute This Topic: 
https://groups.io/mt/82174455/427930>     
<https://groups.io/mt/82174455/427930>>     Group Owner: 
222Activity+owner@groups.io>     <mailto:222Activity%2Bowner@groups.io>>     
Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/222Activity/unsub>     
<https://groups.io/g/222Activity/unsub>>     [terry@directivesystems.com 
<mailto:terry@directivesystems.com>]>     
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=->>_______________________________________________VHFcontesting
 mailing 
listVHFcontesting@contesting.comhttp://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
_______________________________________________
VHFcontesting mailing list
VHFcontesting@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>